Overhead door operating mechanism



June 18, 1946. E. N. RosEN'BEG I v OVERHEAD DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1944 IN VEN TOR. ea wn. M

ATTORNEYS.

June 18, 1946.

EN. ROSENBERG OVERHEAD DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed April 21; 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 18, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OVERHEAD DOOROPERATING MECHANISM vEdgar NnRosenbergi SaltI-lakeGity, Utah{Application April 21, 1944,;Serial-No: 532,080 8 Claims. (01520-49)"This invention relates to an overhead door operating mechanismparticularly 'usef-uland -desirable in "garages, warehouses, and thelike.

A 'further object ofthis invention is to provide an operating -mechanismespecially suitable for a one-piece door for moving it between aweathertight fit against its door frame and an overhead position openingthe doorway.

A further object of this invention is to provide an operating mechanismfor rolllnga one-piece door toan'overhead position in one motion, whilethe door rotatesthrough =a right angle from an upright position againstthe 'door *frame to --a;

substantially-horizontal position above the door opening.

Still .a further object of this invention-is to" provide adoor=operating mechanism wherein the door can be perfectlycounterbalanced throughout its travel, or can lie-slightly over-orunderbalanced. as desired, so it can be moved automatically in onedirection bymerely releasing a latch, possibly lay-remote control from adistanoasuch as by radio, photo-electric cell, or distant switch, andcan be.-move'd in the other direction b'y-a slight amount -01 force,:either -manual or by p wer.

Yet a further object Ofthis invention is to a dooroperatingmechanism-that can be supported almost completely on the doorframe.

:Still a further object of thisinvention-is to provide a door operatingmechanism that will move-thedocr bodily away from the-door'frame as itcommences to open,=thus eliminating the possibilityof jamming orbinding, and which will move the 'door'bo'dily toward and -"against thedoor frame as it comes to closed position, thus insuring a tight fitthereagainst.

' Yet a further objectof this invention is-to' providea door operatingmechanism'that will'maintain the door parallel to the door frame *for ashort distance, as it commences the opening, eliminating the possibilityof the rollers binding in thertracks.

:Aiurther'object of this inventionis-to provide a trackway forming part'of a door operating tracks and the'curved pair of 'tracks are designedto serve as the guide tracks, and wherein both pairs of tracks arejoined together as a unit, yet can pass the door rollers therealong pastthe joining means of the tracks without interference.

With the ioregoing'and' other objects in view, as will hereinafterbecome apparent, this invention comprises the combinations,constructions, and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth,disclosed, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig.1 is a side elevational view of the door and its operatingmechanism, with the door in closed position in full lines-and in' openposition in dotdash lines.

vFig. 2 is a detail view, on a larger scale, of'the pivotarm; pintle,and associated parts.

Fig. 3is a view at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 4' is a perspective view of the parallel motion andcounterbalancing mechanism.

Fig. 1A is a view similar to Fig. 1,0f a slightly modified form'of thisinvention.

Figs. 2A and 3A are views corresponding to Figs. 2 and 3, and

Fig. 1B shows a form with slightly curved weight carrying tracks.

.In the following description, identical referencenumbers are used todenote identical parts mechanism which can be easily -manufactured andinstalledin operative position one door frame.-

Still 'a further objectof th'e' invention is to provide. =a dooroperating mechanismitrackway which includes one pair of straightor-slightly curved parallel tracks, and a secondapairot-somewhateurvedyet parallel tracks, :wherein preferably-thestraight or slightlycurvedrpaircrimes are designed -cto 'serve asrthe :weight' carryingthroughout the various views in both form of the invention, andcorresponding but slightly different parts are indicated by primednumbers.

There is shown at I .a conventional rectangular dcor'frame having theusual door opening which is tov be closed by an overhead one-piecedoorZ. This door 2 is movable between the'closed position showninfull-at 2 and the up or open posis tionshown in dot-an'd-dash lineposition at 20 by means of the door "operating mechanism of thisinvention. Firmly secured to the opposite sides of the door '2 at about"its center line of gravity are the pintles '3, Inasmuch as the pintles3carry the weight of the door 2, and impart rotary motion to the door "ofabout a right angle as it is moved between the open and closed position,thesecurlng means-should bevery firm.

and is here shown as including a plate 2| to which the pintle isweldedas at '22, and the securing means also includes bolts '23 and 24through the pintle 3 and the plate 2[ to'the'door 2. At-their extremeouter ends,-the pintles'a are'provided with flanged wheels 4 or4'.-rotatably secured thereon so "as to' be locate'd'between the weightcarrying parallelstraightupper and'lower tracks 5 orrparallel curved:tracksfS', Rollers '6 are-Journaled between guide tracks I or I on thepivot arms 8 or 8'.

The tracks Or 5' and I or 1' are secured in proper spaced relation toeach other by the fastening plates 9 and ID or 9' and I0. In Figs. 1, 2and 3, the pivot arms 8 are angular as shown, while the fastening plates9 and Ill are straight bars, suitably secured to each of the tracks. InFigs. 1A, 2A and 3A, the pivot arms 8' are straight bars, and'thefastening plates 9' and I0 are shaped like a rectangle. As a resultof such construction, the rollers 6 and the wheels 4 can travel alongtheir trackways without hindrance, yet the tracks are securely fastenedin position;

and kept in proper relation to each other. The

4 the top of the door somewhat lower during its travel than the straighttracks do.

While the device has been shown and the structure described in detail,it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered limited to theexact form disclosed, and that changes may be made therein, within thescope of what is claimed, WithOllt departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, whatclaimed is: r

1. An overhead door construction comprising in combination with a doorand a door-frame having an opening narrower than the door, a pair ofpintlesadapted to be secured to the door at the lower ends of the tracksare each securely bolted to the door frame I and theupper ends aresecured by means of their plates 9 or 9' to the brackets II or II' tothe top of the door frame I, thus making the device independent of thelocation of a ceiling, should the ceiling of the garage or the warehousebe too high to be convenient or accessible.

As the door is moved along the tracks 5 between the open and closedpositions, the pivot arms 8 or 8' will cause the door 2 to rotatethrough a right angle as the rollers 4 move along the guide track I orI. The operating mechanism for causing and controlling this. motionbetween the open and closed position is shown in Fig. 4. The operatingmechanism includes a shaft I2 provided with. sheaves I3 and journaled inbearings in brackets I4 suitably mounted, as shown in Fig. 1 on thebottom of the upper end of the lower tracks 5. Also securely fastened tothe shaft I2 is one or mor additional sheaves I5. Control cords I5 arepassed several times about the sheaves I3, and the pulleys I1 at thelower ends of lower tracks 5 aretied to swivel plates I 8, the swivelplates l8 being swiveled on the pintles 3 between suitable spacingwashers 25. A cable I9 passed about the sheave I5 holds acounterbalancing weight W. Obviously, instead of gearing th cords It tosheaves I3 as above, sprockets may be substituted for the sheaves I 3and pulleys I1 and a chain may be substituted for the cords w. H

In operating, the weight W maybe such as to exactly counterbalance thedoor 2, or it may be slightly more or less than the weight of the door,depending on whether it is desired to, move the doorin both directionswith the slightest eflort, or whether all the eifort is to be used inmoving it in one direction, and letting gravity move it in the otherdirection. With the control cords IS in effect geared to the sheaves I3,the swivel plates I8 will exert an equal force on both pintles 3,keeping the force equal on both pintles and moving them in a parallelmotion, preventing any binding of the wheels against the tracks. As thedoor is moved away from the door-frame I, the pivot, arms 8 or'aflguided by their rollersfi in the guide tracks I or I, first rotatethe door very slowlyso that all parts of the door move definitely away;from the door-frame, andthe rotation of the door iscontrolled by thepivot arms so that the edges of the door can never touch the door-frameonce it starts to move. Thereafter, the curved tracks I or I cause thepivot arms to rotate the door until it has completed a right angle justas it approaches the top open position 20. The curved tracks aredesirable when the ceiling is low or the available, overhead space isvery limited, for the curved tracks :5 serve to keep opposite ends ofapproximately its center line of gravity, a, wheel journaled at theouter end of eachpintle, track means adapted to be secured to the frameof the door to extend angularly upwardsfa second track means secured infixed crossed relation t said first mentioned track means, said wheelsbeing adapted to travel along one of said track means, a pivot arm fixedto each pintle, and a guide roller journaled on each pivot arm andguided along the other track means, said second track means being atsuch angle to said first track means as-to cause said pivot arms topivot said pintles and the door to which they are secured to rotateapproximately a right angle as said door is moved from a closed,position flat against its frame to an open overhead position.

2. An overhead door construction comprising in combination with a doorand a door-frame having an opening narrower than the door, a pair ofpintles adapted to be secured to the doorat the opposite ends ofapproximately its center line of gravity, a wheel journaled at the outerend of each pintle, track means adapted to be secured to the-frame ofthe door to extend angularly upwards, said wheels being adapted totravel along said track means, -a guide track means secured in fixedcrossed relation to said first mentioned track means, apivot arm fixedto each pintle, and a guide roller journaled on-each pivot arm andguided in said guide track means, said guide track means being fixed atsuch angle to said wheel track means as to cause said pivot arms topivot said pintles and the door to which they are secured. to rotateapproximately a right angle as said door is moved from a closed positionagainst its frame'to an open overhead position.

3. An overhead door construction comprising in combination with a doorand a door-frame having an'opening narrower than the door, a pairofpintles adapted tobe secured to the door at the opposite ends ofapproximately it center line of gravity; a wheel journaled at the outerend of each pintle, weight carrying track means adapted to, be securedto the frame of the door to extend angularly upwards, said wheels beingadapted to travel along said track means, a guide track means secured infixed crossed relation to said weight carrying track means, a pivot'armfixed to each pintle, and a guide roller'journaled on-each pivot armandguided in said guide'track means, saidguide track means being curved atsuch angle to said wheel track mean as to cause said. pivot arms topivot -said pintlesand the door to which they are secured to rotateapproximatelya :right angle as said door is moved from: a'closedverticalposition fiat against its frame to an open overhead' approximately hornzontal position and vice versa'." r

4; :An roverheaddoor construction comprising in *combinationwith a doorand a door-frame having an opening narrower than the door; a

pair of pintles adapted to be secured to the door at the opposite endsof approximately its center line of gravity, a wheel journaled at theouter end of each pintle, track means adapted to be secured to the frameof the door to extend angularly upwards, a second track means secured infixed crossed relation to said first mentioned track means, said wheelsbeing adapted to travel along one of said track means, a pivot arm fixedto each pintle, and a guide roller journaled on each pivot arm andguided along the other track means, said second track means being atsuch angle to aid first track means as to cause said pivot arms to pivotsaid pintles and the door to which they are secured to rotateapproximately a right angle as said door is moved from a closed positionfiat against its frame to an open overhead position.

5. An overhead door construction comprising in combination with a doorand a door-frame having an opening narrower than the door, a pair ofpintles adapted to be secured to the door at the opposite ends ofapproximately its center line of gravity, a wheel journaled at the outerend of each pintle, track means adapted to be secured to the frame ofthe door to extend angularly upwards, said wheels being adapted totravel along said track means, a guide track means unitarily secured tosaid first mentioned track means in crossed relation thereto, a pivotarm fixed to each pintle, a guide roller journaled on each pivot arm andguided in said guide track means, said guide track 'means being at suchangle to said wheel track means as to cause said pivot arms to pivotsaid pintles and the door to which they are secured to rotateapproximately a right angle as said door is moved from a closed positionflat against its frame to an open overhead position.

6. In an overhead door track for door-frames and a door of a widthgreater than the width of the opening in the door-frame for closingagainst said door-frame, track units each embodying track membersadapted to be extended inwardly and angularly upwardly from thedoorframe from a point slightly below midway the height of the door anda second track means adapted to be extended inwardly and upwardly fromthe door-frame from a point slightly spaced from said first-mentionedpoint across said firstmentioned track means, and means securing saidtrack means to each other in fixed relation to each other in slightlyspaced but parallel planes.

'7. In an overhead door construction for doorframes a door of a widthgreater than the width of the opening in the door-frame for closingagainst said door-frame, track units mounted at opposite sides of thedoor-frame each embodying track members extending inwardly and angularlyupwardly from the door-frame from a point slightly below midway theheight of the door and a second track means extending inwardly andupwardly from the door-frame from a point slightly spaced from saidfirst-mentioned point across said first-mentioned track means, meanssecuring said track means to each other in fixed relation to each otherin slightly spaced but parallel planes, a pair of pintles secured to thedoor at approximately its center line of gravity, a wheel journaled atthe outer end of each pintle for travel along said first mentioned trackmeans, a pivot arm fixed to each pintle, and a guide roller journaled oneach pivot arm for travel along said second-mentioned track means tothereby turn the door between a vertical closed position against thedoor frame and a horizontal open position away from and above thedoorframe opening as the pintle-journaled wheels travel along saidfirst-mentioned track means.

8. In an overhead door construction for doorframes, a door of a widthgreater than the width of the opening in the door-frame for closingagainst said door-frame, track units mounted at opposite sides of thedoor-frame each embodying track members extending inwardly and angularlyupwardly from the door-frame from a point slightly below midway theheight of the door and a second track means extending inwardly andupwardly from the door-frame from a point slightly spaced. from saidfirst-mentioned point across said first-mentioned track means, meanssecuring said track means to each other in fixed relation to each otherin slightly spaced but parallel planes, bracket means extendinghorizontally from the top of the door-frame to which the upper ends ofsaid track means extend, a pair of pintles secured to the door atapproximately its center line of gravity, a wheel journaled at the outerend of each pintle for travel along said first mentioned track means, apivot arm fixed to each pintle, and a guide roller journaled on eachpivot arm for travel along said secondmentioned track means to therebyturn the door between a vertical closed position against the door-frame,and a horizontal open position away from and above the door-frameopening as the pintle-journaled wheels travel along said firstmentionedtrack means.

EDGAR N. ROSENBERG.

